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HELP............My Java Fern is dying

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New Member

I have three tanks that have java Fern and anubas and amazon swords. I started using Kent Freshwater Plantfood about 3 weeks ago according to directions. My Java ferns are dying in patches. The only thing I can think of is the plantfood. My ph is 6.0 - 5.5, water changes 30% per week, GH/KH 3 (soft huh) and everything else is happy.........

Thoughts? :roll: :cry: :roll:

If it could be the plantfood, should I do another water change? I just did one yesterday?

New Member

Java fern must not get the rizhome buried, it's best to attach it to a rock or some wood. I use a rubber band, after a couple weeks the rubber band will pull right off and the java fern will be firmly attached on it's own.

New Member

Java fern will get melted spots due to direct light on the leaves- I equate it to a sunburn. Usually this is the case if the fern was in shade and suddenly gets exposed. The other factor is the presence of heavy metals. Heavy metals will burn the leaves leaving the rhizome unaffected. Pull off the leaves if heavy metals are the cause and wait for the plant to recover.
Also add a dechlorinator that has heavy metal chelating properties to the tank immediately.
HTH

New Member

It's pretty tuff stuff. I used to keep it in a tank with ornatus and transcriptus (pH 7.6, GH 200ppm), and the loved the white rock that grafted them to (CaCO3). The main thing about them is that they seem to do best under subdued lighting. So using older globes (for fluorescent lights) or covering them with floating plants (for halides) can induce lush, lime-green growth.

New Member

Active Member

Can Java Fern die if it does not attach to anything?
I´ve had a piece fern that I roped into a wood about 2 months ago.
For some reason it has not attached it self into the wood. Now I superglued it into the wood.

Well-Known Member

I've had them turn brown inexplicably too, sometimes after years of growing happily in a tank. Some of the possible reasons that have crossed my mind include chemical "warfare" among different plant/algae species, or plant pathogens (viral, bacterial, nematodes, ...??) that may occasionally "bloom". Just pure speculation, when nothing else seems like an obvious change.

Member

As mentioned Java Fern is generally tough and does not need any fertiliser although a bit of CO2 in gaseous or liquid form always helps. It does not need much light. Mine has died off when I
1. had it in putrid conditions like in a bucket for weeks
2. had it out of the water for too long with redecorating a tank
I also suspect it doesn't like pitch black conditions. It is pretty much like crypt melt in that the fern will generally recover fully (eventually)

Member

PS: With your plants I don't think you need to use plant food which probably contains nitrates. They should be ok without. I get good results with low light/no fertiliser for anubias, moderate light/no fertiliser for anubias and good light/some CO2/clay ball ground fertiliser to the roots of sword plants

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Member

Fern doesn't look too bad at all. I would definitely not throw it out. I've had much worse and they eventually recovered. Frogbit needs quite a bit of light for good growth and too much cover on top can cause issues with floating plants due to lack of air circulation. If you put frogbit out in summer in a bucket you will be amazed what it looks like in nature compared with aquarium conditions.